Bachelor of Laws
at The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory.
An accredited LLB degree covering the Priestley 11 areas of law (contracts, torts, criminal, constitutional, administrative, equity and trusts, property, civil procedure, evidence, ethics and corporations). Often combined with another bachelor degree.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the The Australian National University Bachelor of Laws. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
Australian LLB programs require the Priestley 11 (the 11 core areas needed for admission to practise). At the ANU College of Law year one covers Foundations of Australian Law, Torts, Criminal Law and Procedure, and Australian Public Law (Constitutional and Administrative). Year two carries Contract, Property, Equity, Civil Procedure, and Commercial Law. Year three layers Corporations Law, Evidence, Federal Constitutional Law, Legal Theory and elective streams (international, environmental, public-interest, indigenous, commercial). Year four (the standalone LLB is four years; combined degrees run five to six) features practical clinics (ANU Legal Workshop, Justice Project), mooting electives, and a research-led thesis option. The ANU College of Law is uniquely policy-adjacent - many lecturers consult to the High Court, the Attorney-Generals Department and Commonwealth Parliamentary Counsel. Tutorials run small (15 to 25 students) with weekly case reading of 80 to 150 pages. Assessment in core units is exam-heavy (50 to 70 percent finals) with research essays and Socratic seminar engagement. Most students stack the BA, BCom, BPolEcon or BPhB as a combined degree.
Example first-year subjects
- Foundations of Australian Law
- Torts
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Australian Public Law
- Legal Research and Writing
- Lawyers, Justice and Ethics
How you will be assessed
- Final exams of 50 to 70 percent in Priestley 11 core units
- Research essays of 3000 to 5000 words
- Tutorial participation including Socratic questioning
- Mooting and oral advocacy assessment in upper years
- Take-home problem questions and case notes
- Capstone clinic placement or research thesis (Honours stream)
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as solicitors and barristers after completing practical legal training and admission to the relevant state Supreme Court.
- Common destinations include top-tier and mid-tier law firms, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and state legal aid commissions.
- Many alumni move into in-house counsel roles, policy work in government or the judiciary as associates and tipstaves.
Professional accreditation
- Priestley 11 compliant
- Recognised for admission by the relevant state Legal Profession Admission Board
Typical first jobs
- Associate to a High Court of Australia, Federal Court or ACT Supreme Court judge
- Graduate lawyer at top-tier firms (Allens, Ashurst, Clayton Utz, MinterEllison) Canberra offices
- Graduate at the Australian Government Solicitor (AGS)
- Graduate at the Attorney-Generals Department and Office of Parliamentary Counsel
- Legal policy adviser in APS departments (Home Affairs, DFAT, ATO)
- Solicitor at Legal Aid ACT and community legal centres
Graduate starting salary
$70,000 - $95,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
An LLB alone does not admit you to practise. Graduates complete Practical Legal Training (PLT, the ANU Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice or the College of Law, six months to one year) then apply for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of the ACT (which has a national admission effect). The ANU LLB Honours stream is the standard route into associateships at the High Court, Federal Court and Supreme Court of the ACT. Many graduates do the Master of Laws (LLM) for specialty work in international, commercial, environmental or international security law. The Juris Doctor (JD) is the postgraduate equivalent for non-LLB graduates. Common combined degrees include LLB with Arts, Asia-Pacific Studies, International Security Studies, Politics Philosophy and Economics, Economics, Commerce and Science.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who enjoy detailed reading of cases and statutes
- Those drawn to constitutional and federal law (very visible from Canberra)
- People aiming for associateships at the High Court and Federal Court
- Students considering top-tier Sydney or Melbourne firms or APS legal policy roles
- Those willing to combine the LLB with another bachelor for breadth
It is probably not for you if
- Students who dislike long-form reading and writing
- Those who want a clear job offer at graduation without PLT
- Anyone who struggles with high-stakes exam pressure
Careers this leads to
Australian career pathways that name this Bachelor of Laws as an entry route. Each page shows uni, TAFE and apprenticeship alternatives.
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The Australian National University handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/anu/bachelor-of-laws.